Tractor



D. G. KNITTEL.

Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

WITNESSES n m. 2k

INVENTOR DLG. KNITTEL.

TRACTOR.

APPLICATION FILEL MAYZB, 1919.

1 3 1 7 Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FIELZ.

UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID G. KNITTEL, OF WILDWOOCD, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO KNITTEL KRAWL- ING TRACTOR COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

TRACTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec, 14, 1920,.

Application mm May 28, 191a Serial No. 300,311.

To all whom. it may concm:

Be it known that I, DAVID G. KNITTEL,

residing at Wildwood, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, a citizen of the United States, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Tractors, of which improvements the following is a specification.

lustrating my invention, is shown in the My invention relates to tractors which are propelled b caterpillar drivers, and the object thereof is to provide means for preventing lateral skidding of such tractors, chiefly to the end that they maybe guided in a straight line when operating or driving farm implements upon the side of a hill.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings type or construction. A sprocket chain 4 connects the crank shaft 3 of the motor with a shaft 5, one end of which extends into a gear box 6. At the outer end of the shaft 5 there is provided a pulley 7 whereby the motor 2 may be used to drive machinery, as for example, a threshing machine. A

shaft 8 projecting from 'the otherlend of the gear boxl6 is connected by means of a sprocket 9 with a driving shaft. 10, which,

through suitable clutch connections, is adapted to drive driven shafts 11 and 11 either simultaneousl or independently in either direction. 'T e clutches and means for controlling :them arefu-lly shown and described in my co-pending application Serial No. 300,310, filed of even date heremy invention may be-driven in any we sknown or desired manner. 'Preferably they are driven. by means of sprockets 18,

' 13* secured to the shafts 11 and 11. Over been found provided-with a flexible cord may be driven holding the wheels 14 yieldingly away from the frame 1 each wheel is mounted in a bearing 18, to which there areattached vertically disposed pins 20 which extend upwardly through housings 21 secured to the frame 1, coiled springs 22 being arranged between the bearing blocks 18 and the housin $21.

n the practice of my invention the caterpillar driver is provided with 'means for preventing lateral sliding or skidding of the tractor. For such purpose I preferably provlde an endless cord 23 which extends around the caterpillar driver, the tread face of which may be transversely fluted and .provided medially with a longitudinally disposed groove 24 in which the cord lies 1n the activeportion of the driver, it being understood that such active portion is the extent of the caterpillar driver whichbears upon the road or other supporting surface of the tractor.' The cord 23 may be constructed of a suitable link chain, wire cable, or any other desired-flexible structure, and the depth of the groove 24 is such that the outer edge of the cord lies between the innor and outer extremities of the flutes formed on the face of the driver.

' Means are provided-for holding the'-cord' above the face of the inactive portion of the driver, that is to -say,-the portion of the driver which does not bear upon the road or other tractor supporting surface. Such means preferably consists of an idler 25secured to an arm26 mounted for vertical admatter'are removed from the fluted face of the driver so that as the inactive ortion of the driver becomes active, the uted face thereof will have better tractive power.

In the that a caterpillar-driver tractor along the side of. a hill in farm country without' deviating from" a straight line, whereas the same tractor without the flex-- ible cord, when driven along the same course, I

will slide ,laterally.

Accordingly to the provisions of the patent statute I have described the princlple and operation of my invention together wlth the construction which I now" consider to ractice of my invention it has.

represent the best embodiment thereof.

However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, my invention may be practised-by other forms of construction than that specifically shown and described.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a tractor the combination, with a frame and a motor carried thereby, of a driving member whose road-enga 'ng face consists of two parts, the one aifor ing traction in the line of travel, the other adapted to resist skidding transversely of the line of travel, the said arts being movable, one

. tor, a flexible endless cord extending around and movable with said driver, and means for holding said cordfiabove the face of the inactive portionof said drive 3. In a tractor, the combination with a frame and a motor carried thereby, of an endless caterpillar driver operatively connected to said-motor for propelling the tractor, said driver having a transversely fluted tractive face provided mediall with a groove disposed longitudinally 0 said face, a flexible endless cord extending around and movable with said driver, said cord lying in said groove in the active portion of said driver, and means for removing said 'cord from said groove in the inactive portion of said drive'r.

4. In a tractor, the combination with a frame and a motor carried thereby, of an endless caterpillar-driver, operative connection from sa1d motor to sand driver for propelling the tractor, a ide arranged above the inactive portion 0 said driver, and an endless cord sustained by said driver in skidpreventing position upon the active portion of the driver and extending over said guide above the inactive portion of said driver. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. I I

' DAVID G. KNITTEL, Witnesses:

Anon A.'Tmm, PAUL N. Cm'ronnow. 

